Maia Haag

Bestseller: While on maternity leave, Maia Haag received a personalized children’s book as a baby gift, but thought the story line and illustrations could be improved. “A light bulb went on,” she says. Since then, the former General Mills marketing exec-turned-author has sold more than a quarter million copies of the personalized children’s book My Very Own Name, including to some very A-list celebs.

First Draft: The book took more than two years to plan, write, illustrate, and print. “I had the concepts first—I wanted it to be personalized and educational,” she says. But she relied on focus groups and input from her graphic designer husband, Alan, to refine her vision. The plot centers around the animal kingdom choosing the perfect name for your baby. On each page, an animal brings a letter—the yak brings the “y,” for instance. In the end, the child’s name emerges.

Fairy Tale: This month, Haag launches her second book, My Very Own Fairy Tale. “Since I have two boys, I think there’s something in me that wanted to write for girls,” she says, laughing. But the principles are serious—“A princess is not just looks. It’s about being a leader, so they have character traits that make good candidates.” (Fairness is one.) Berry and flower fairies of different ethnicities select the name of their leader, in the same fashion as the first book.

Happy Ending: Haag has experienced numerous rewards. “Hearing feedback from parents who became teary-eyed reading for their child. Telling me their child learned to spell at a young age, or that they love to read the book. Watching the business grow . . . I remember the first time I didn’t recognize the name of the person ordering the book!”

Epilogue: Haag envisions a whole line of personalized books and products. A tiara for Fairy Tale and a floor puzzle for Name  (among other items) are available at Nordstrom, L. L. Bean, 250-plus baby boutiques nationwide, through numerous catalogs, and on her website. 1-877-281-0536, iseeme.com.